Collapsible container



May 29, 1956 E. L. ARNESON 2,747,735

COLLAPSIBLE CONTAINER Filed Jan. 10, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V EN TOR.

v" Eda/2i d'rrzeaa/z,

z & L

y 9 956 E. L. ARNESON 2,747,786

COLLAPSIBLE CONTAINER Filed Jan. 10, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR.

May 29 1 v 956 E. L. ARNESO 1 COLLAPSIBL I f'lled Jan. 10, 1952 ECONTAINER 3 Sheets-Shae IN V EN TOR I awuzf. Zvzasv/z,

United States Patent COLLAPSIBLE CONTAINER Edwin L. Arneson, Morris,111., assignor to Morris Paper Mills, Chicago, 111., a corporation ofIllinois Application January 10, 1952, Serial No. 265,817

8 Claims. (Cl. 229-39) This invention relates to containers and is moreparticularly concerned with improvements in collapsible cartons made offibrous material which are adapted for use in marketing of a largevariety of merchandise and especially frozen comestibles.

It is a general object of the invention to provide a carton fabricatedfrom cut and scored paperboard or similar material which is initiallyformed in collapsed condition but which may be readily set up forfilling from one end with any desired merchandise and which isparticularly adapted for use in the frozen comestible industry whereinit is the present practice to freeze the ice cream or other materialinitially to a point where it is homogeneous and viscous, after whichthe partially frozen material is run into packages or other containerswhich are then conveyed to a hardening room Where the material ispermitted to harden without agitation, the packages being removed at alater time for delivery to retail stores.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a paperboard cartonwhich is particularly adapted for the bulk packaging of ice cream, inquantities suitable for retail merchandising, such as a half-gallonpackage, the carton being constructed so that it may be furnished incollapsed condition to the manufacturer and readily set up for fillingat one end, with one side wall of the carton being adapted to be readilyopened by the retail purchaser for convenient serving of the contents ofthe package, such side wall forming a recloseable cover when it isdesired to remove only a portion of the contents upon initially openingthe package.

It is a more specific object of the invention to provide a cartonfabricated from a cut and scored blank of paperboard material in whichthe blank is divided into a plurality of connected panels which arefolded and joined together in initially collapsed for flattenedcondition in such a manner that when pressure is applied to oppositeside edges of the collapsed carton the side wall forming panels willmove into set-up position and the end wall forming panels at one endwill automatically move into position to form the bottom of the cartonfor filling from the opposite end which comprises foldable interlockingclosure forming panels, one side wall of the carton being held along aside edge in connected relation with the adjoining side wall by a flapwhich is readily openable to provide access to the contents of thecarton after it is filled and closed.

Another object of the invention is to provide a container of the typedescribed wherein one side wall is arranged to form an openable coverwith a closure tongue or flap along one edge initially secured to theoutside margin of the adjoining side wall, which may be readily tornloose therefrom to free the cover for hinged movement about the edge ofthe opposite side wall to an open position to expose the contents of thecontainer.

' Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent froma consideration of the paperboard container which is shown by way ofillustration in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. l is a perspective view of a paperboard container, in completelyset-up and closed condition, which embodies the principal features ofthe invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a cut and scored paperboard blank suitable formaking the container;

Figs. 3 and 4 are partial plan views illustrating steps involved infolding portions of the blank during manufacture of the container;

Fig. 5 is a plan view showing a further step in the fold ing of theblank;

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the completed container in initially folded andcollapsed condition;

Fig, 7 is a top plan view of the container in partially opened upposition;

Fig. 8 is a view of the bottom of the container in the partially openedup position of Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a section taken on the lines 99 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 10 is an elevation of the filling end of the container, after theflaps have been closed; and

Fig. 11 is a perspective view of the container with the cover formingside wall thereof in partially opened position.

The container which is illustrated in the drawings is formed from agenerally rectangular blank of flexible material which is cut and scoredto provide a plurality of connected panels adapted to be folded intowall forming relation. The size of the container may be varied, asdesired, depending upon the nature and quantity of the merchandise to bepackaged, the illustrated container being of size and shape commonlyused for packaging a half gallon quantity of ice cream.

The blank 10 from which the container is formed (Fig. 2) may bepaperboard of a thickness sufficient to make the walls of the containerself-sustaining when the container is opened up for use and to provideit with sufficient rigidity for confining the material which it isintended to receive. Any other blank material of a similar characterwhich may be cut and scored as illustrated in Fig. 2 can be employed inthe manufacture of the container, the choice of material being generallydictated by the nature of the product for which the container isdesired.

The blank 10 is divided by longitudinal score lines 11, 12 andtransverse score lines 13, 14, 15 and 16 into a plurality oflongitudinally extending connected wall forming panels 17, 18, 19 and20.

The area at one end of the blank, which is defined by the longitudinalscore lines 11, 12 and transverse score lines 13, 14, constitutes a topor cover forming wall panel 17 for the container. The adjoining areawhich is defined by longitudinal score lines 11 and 12 and transversescore lines 14 and 15 constitutes a back side wall forming panel 18. Thenext adjacent area which is defined by longitudinal score lines 11 and12 and transverse score lines 15 and 16 constitutes a bottom wallforming panel 19. The end area which is defined by longitudinal scoreline 11 at one side edge, cutting line 21 at the other side edge and theend edge 22 of the blank constitutes a front side wall forming panel 20.

The bottom forming panel 19 is provided with end Wall forming flapmembers 23 and 24 which extend laterally from the longitudinal scorelines 11 and 12 to the side edges 25 and 26. The flap member 23 is freedfrom adjoining portions of the blank by cutting lines 27 and 28 whichextend from the longitudinal score line 11 in alignment with thetransverse score lines 15 and 16 respectively. The flap member 24 isfreed from adjoiningportions of the blank at one side by the cuttingline 29 extending from the score line 12 to the side edge 26 of theblank and in approximate alignment with the transverse score line 15. Atthe opposite side the flap member 24 is separated by transverse scoreline 30 from a corner connecting tab 31, the score line 39 extendingfrom the end of the longitudinal score line 1-2 and in alignment withthe transverse score line 16. The corner tab member 31 has a generallytriangular shape being out along the-side edge 26- of the blank,transversely along the-short line 32, which isinwardly of the endedge 22of the blank, and alonga diagonal line 33 extending to the junction oflongitudinal and transverse score lines 12 and 16.

Thefront wall forming panel is provided at one end with-adiagonal scoreline 34which extends inwardly from the end of the score line 12, normalto the cutting line 33, and outwardly to the end edge 22 of the blank.At the other end the panel 20 is provided with an end wall forming flap35 which is separated therefrom by longitudinal score line 11 and whichextends to the side edge 25 of the blank with one side edge being alongthe end edge 22 of the blank and with the other side reed from adjoiningend flap 23 by transverse cutting line 23. The flap is provided with adiagonal score line 36 having a central portion thereof cut along anirregular line 7 to provide a slot for a locking tab which will bedescribed.

The back wall forming panel 18 is provided at one end with an end wallforming flap 38 which extends outwardly of the longitudinal score line11 to approximately the side edge 25 of the blank with the outer portionthereof being cut along irregular lines, as shown, to provide a lockingtab or tongue 39 for insertion in the slot 37 in the end wall formingmember 35. The flap member 38 is freed at its side edges by cuttinglines 27 and 40 from adjoining portions of the blank, which cuttinglines extend in alignment from the ends of the lateral score lines 15and 14, respectively. At the other end the panel 18 is provided with anend wall forming flap portion 41 which extends from the score line 12 tothe side edge 26 of the blank and which is freed from adjoining portionsof the blank by cutting lines 42 and 43 extending laterally from theends of transverse score line 14 and 15 respectively. The flap member 41is scored diagonally at 44 and cut at 45 to provide a triangular innerportion 46 for a purpose which will be described.

The cover forming panel 17 is provided at one end with an end wallforming flap 47 which extends outwardly of the score line 11 and whichis separated from the adjacent flap forming portion 38 by the cuttingline 40. The llap 47 is preferably somewhat shorter than the flapportion 23 which extends from the bottom forming panel 19. At the otherend the panel 17 is provided with an end wall forming fiap 48 whichextends outwardly of the longitudinal score line 12 and which isseparated from the adjoining flap 41 by the cutting line 42. The flap 48is somewhat shorter than the flap 24 which extends from the bottom flapforming panel 19 and terminates at its outer edge in an irregular line49. The flap 48 is provided with a corner connecting tab formation 50extending in the longitudinal direction beyond a transverse score line51 which is aligned with transverse score line 13. A diagonal score line52 extends from the end of the score line 12 in a diagonally outwarddirection to the outer edge 49. The panel 17 is also provided along theend margin of the blank with a securing flap or tongue 53 which isrelatively narrow and which extends from the transverse score line 13 tothe end edge 54 of the blank. The securing flap 53 extends approximatelythe width of the panel 17 terminating at the ends at cutting lines 55and 56 extending longitudinally and in alignment with the longitudinalscore lines 11 and 12, respectively. A diagonal score line 57 isprovided across the one corner of the flap 53 adjacent the end flap 47which forms a diagonal corner portion 58 on the same.

The manner of folding and connecting the Wall form-. ing panels andmembers of the blank 10 is illustrated in Figs. 3 to 6, it beingunderstood that the blank is folded and the panels are assembled so thatwhen it is initially 4 set up the end wall flaps 23, 35, 33 and 47 willbe in open orextended relation while the opposite end forming flapswillbe folded and connected in such a manner that the setting up of thecontainer automatically draws them into wall forming position with thefiap 24 innermost. The triangular corner portion 59 of the front Wallforming panel 20 which is formed by diagonal score line 34 is initiallyfolded (Fig. 3) about the score line 34 into flattened relation with theremainder of the panel. The end fiap 41 is folded first outwardly aboutthe score line 44 and then inwardly about the longitudinal score line 12to bring the triangular portion 46 into fiat engagement with the panel13 and the remainder of the flap in doubled over engagement with thetriangular portion 46. The flap 48 is also folded inwardly about thescore line 12 with the corner connecting tab 53 being folded inwardlyabout the transverse score line 51 and then outwardly about the diagonalscore line 52 and positioned as. shown in Fig. 3. With the blank foldedin this manner adhesive is applied on the areas 60, 61, 62 and 63.Thereafter the end forming flap 24 is folded inwardly about the scoreline 12 and the corner connecting tab 31 secured by the adhesive to thetriangular portion 59 of the panel 20. The blank is next folded ordoubled upon itself about the transverse score line 15 to bring theouter face. of the end flap 24 into engagement with the adhesive on theend flap 41 (Fig. 5). Finally, the securing flap forming panel 53 isfolded inwardly about the score line 13 to bring the adhesive areas 62and 63 into engagement with the side margin of the panel 20 and with thecorner connecting tab 50, thus completing the assembly of the blank, andproviding the finished container, in flattened condition, ready forshipment to the user.

In erecting the container to place it in condition for filling the samewith the desired merchandise, the edges of the collapsed container aregrasped along the fold lines 13 and 15 and moved toward each other toposition each of the connected wall forming panels 17, 18, 19 and 20 ata right angle to the adjoining panels. This movement causes the end flap24 and the triangular portion 59 of the front wall forming panel 20 tomove about the fold lines 12 and 34 to bring the flap 24 into end wallforming position. This movement also causes the end wall forming member41 to hinge about the fold line 44 into end wall forming position andthe member 48 to move about the score line 12 into end wall formingposition, with the end of the member 48 adjacent the cutting line 42moving between the triangular portion 46 and the remainder of the member41, this member being received in the slot formed by the diagonalcutting line 45. The wall connecting tongue or flap 53 being secured tothe front side wall 20 moves or opens out with the latter and swings thecorner connecting tab 50, which is adhesively secured thereto, about thetransverse score line 13 and the-diagonal score line 51 to open out theend flap 48 at the forward end thereof while the other end of the flap48 is moved about score line 12 by engagement with the two portions ofend wall flap 41.

With the container in squared up or open condition and the flaps 23, 35,38 and 47 extended in the plane of the side walls or outwardly thereof,if required, the container may be filled, in standard filling machinery,with. ice cream or any similar product in a fluid state. Thereafter theflaps 23, 47, 35 and 38 are folded in that order into closed position,the locking tab 39 on the flap 38 being engaged in the slot 37 to retainthe end flaps in closed position. The filled container may then befurther pro-. cessed or stored, as required.

When it is desired to open the filled and closed container to obtainaccess to the contents, the corner portion 58 outside of the diagonalline 57 of the securing or sealing flap 53 may be grasped and the flap53 pulled loose from the front wall forming panel 20 which frees .thecover forming wall 17 for movement about the transverse'crease line 14into open position. The end flaps 47- and 48 on the same beingunattached to the end forming wall members with which they areinterfolded, permits free movement of the cover member 17 upon breakingthe seal between the connecting flap 53 and the front side wall 20.

While specific materials and details of construction have been referredto in describing the preferred form of the container, it will beunderstood that other materials and other details of construction of anequivalent nature may be resorted to within the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. A container formed from a single blank of cardboard material which iscut and scored to divide the same into a plurality of connected panels,which panels form when the container is erected, bottom, side and endwalls and a cover, said cover being hinged along one edge to one sidewall and having a securing tongue along the opposite edge adapted to beadhered in overlapping relation to the margin of the opposite side wall,one of said end walls comprising a flap hingedly connected alongadjoining edges to an end edge of the bottom wall and of one side wall,a cooperating flap hingedly connected to the opposite side wall andhaving a portion of one face thereof secured to said first mentionedflap, said last mentioned flap being foldable upon itself along adiagonal score line and a third flap hingedly connected to the adjacentend edge of said cover and adapted to move into non-connectedinterleaved relation with said first and second mentioned flaps when thecontainer is in erected condition, said third flap being connected atthe forward end thereof to said securing tongue and being foldable intoflattened relation with said cover and said securing tongue when saidcontainer is collapsed.

2. A collapsible container of relatively flexible material comprising abody member having connected bottom, side and end walls and a covermember hinged along one edge to a side wall, said cover having asecuring flap along the forward edge adapted to be secured in faceengagement with the side wall opposite its hinged connection and saidcover member having a collapsible flap at one end joined to saidsecuring flap by a foldable triangular web portion, end forming flaps atthe adjacent end of said body member being interconnected and foldableupon themselves along a diagonal line, said end wall forming flaps beinghingedly connected to the bottom and to one of said side walls and to aninwardly foldable triangular end portion of the other one of said sidewalls, whereby they move into end wall forming position upon erection ofthe carton and cooperating end wall forming flaps having interlockingportions at the opposite end of said body and cover members, the endflaps on said cover member being free to move out of end wall formingposition when the carton is in erected condition upon swinging the coverto open position.

3. A collapsible paperboard carton comprising a body member havingconnected bottom, side and end walls and a cover member hinged along oneedge to the top edge of the rear side wall, said cover having a securingflap along the forward edge adapted to be secured in face engagementwith the margin of the outside of the front side wall and said covermember having an end flap joined at the forward end to said securingflap and having a foldable triangular portion permitting said end flapand said securing flap to be collapsed against said cover, end formingflaps at the adjacent end of said body member, said body end formingflaps being interconnected and foldable into coplanar end wall formingposition when the carton is erected with said cover end flap ininterleaved coplanar end wall forming relation therewith and cooperatingend wall forming flaps at the opposite end of said body and covermembers, said cover member having its end flaps free to move relative tosaid body end forming flaps and out of end wall forming position whenthe cover is erected and the cover is swung to open position.

4. A container formed from a single blank of cardboard material which iscut and scored to divide the same into a plurality of connected panels,which panels form when 6 the container is erected, bottom, side and endwalls and a cover, said cover being hinged at one edge to the edge ofone side wall and having an integral securing flap at the opposite edgethereof adapted to be adhered in overlapping relation to the margin ofthe opposite side wall, one of said end walls comprising a flap hingedlyconnected along adjoining edges to the bottom wall and to one side wall,said one side wall having a foldable triangular portion at the endconnected thereto, a cooperating flap hingedly connected to the oppositeside wall and having an end portion thereof secured to the outer face ofsaid first mentioned flap, said last mentioned flap being foldable uponitself along a diagonal score line extending upwardly and forwardly fromsaid opposite side wall and a third flap hingedly connected to theadjacent end of said cover, said third flap having a foldable triangularportion at the forward end thereof connected to said integral cover flapand being foldable into flattened relation with said cover when saidcontainer is collapsed, said third flap being free to move out of endwall forming position, when the container is in erected condition, uponreleasing said cover securing flap and swinging the cover to openposition.

5. A collapsible paperboard container comprising a body member havingconnected bottom, side and end walls a cover member hinged along oneedge to the top edge of the rear side wall, said cover having a securingflap along the forward edge initially secured in face engagement withthe margin of the outside of the front wall and said cover member havingan end flap joined at the forward end to said securing flap and having afoldable triangular portion permitting said end flap and said securingflap to be collapsed against said cover, end forming flaps at one end ofsaid body member, said end forming flaps being hinged to the bottom andside walls and having portions thereof in face engaging interconnectedrelation and being foldable inwardly about a diagonal line extendingupwardly of one corner thereof and terminating short of the top edgewhereby said end forming flaps are movable into end wall formingposition upon erection of the carton with said cover end flap ininterleaved relation therewith and cooperating end wall forming flapsintegral with the opposite end of said body and cover members, with thecover end flap member free to move out of end wall forming position uponreleasing the cover securing flap and swinging the cover to openposition and with opposite end wall flaps on the body member being ininterlocked relation.

6. A container formed from a single blank of cardboard material which iscut and scored to divide the same into a plurality of connected panels,which panels form when the carton is erected, bottom, side and end wallsand a cover, said cover being hinged at one end to the edge of one sidewall and having an integral flap at the opposite edge initially adheredin overlapping relation to the margin of the opposite side Wall, one ofsaid end walls comprising a flap hingedly connected along two adjoiningedges to the bottom and one side wall, said one side wall having atriangular foldable portion at the end connected to said wall flap, asecond end wall flap having a triangular base portion hingedly connectedto the opposite side wall, the remainder of said second end wall flapbeing foldable outwardly upon said triangular portion and having aportion of the inner face thereof secured to said first mentioned endwall flap, and a third end wall flap hingedly connected to the adjacentend of said cover, said third end Wall flap having a portion at theforward end thereof foldably con nected to said integral cover flap.

7. A container formed from a generally rectangular blank of flexiblematerial, which blank is cut and scored to divide the same into sidewall forming panels and integral end wall forming flaps and which blankis initially folded upon itself and connected at the ends to provide,when opened out, a generally rectangular container body having an endflap at the one end of the body which is hin d l ngtwo Q S 9 wq s i nasi e W ll aad; no he nd fla t a d endp h is hin dim a third sidewallalong the base of an inner triangularportionthereof which isseparated-from the remainder of said a t m o -flap by di al o line and a a qcutting line which diagonal, fold and cuttinglines intersect and definethe other two sides of said triangular portion thereof, the remainigouter portions of said last menns p which tendheyond-sai n lar. p ionbeing secured in face engagement with the outside surface of said firstmentioned flap.

8. A container forming blank of cardboard material which is scored alongtransversely extending longitudinal- 1y spaced, lines and alonglongitudinally extending transversely spaced lines to form connectedPanels adapted to provide when erected a container having a bottom,oppositely disposed front and rear side walls adjoining the bottom, atop cover wall, and end walls, said blank having a transverselyextending end connecting flap along the end edge of the cover formingpanel, which is adapted to be adhered inface engagingrelation along thetop edge of the front side wall. forming panel, and end wall formingpanels extending laterally of one end of the bottom, rear side and coverforming-panels, the end wall forming panel extending alongthe bottomwall forming panel having an integral generally triangular cornerconnecting tab adapted to be secured in face engagingrelation with afoldable triangular corner; portion of the front side wall formingpanel, the end wall forming panel extending from said cover formingpanel having a corner connecting tab adapted to be secured to said endconnecting flap and having a diagonal crease line extending outwardlythereof, and theend wallforming panel extending from the rear side wallforming panel having a triangular inner portion which is defined alongthe two outer edges of the triangle bya fold lineand a cutting linepermitting said panel to be folded upon itself about the last mentionedfold line and also to be folded about the end edge of the rear side wallforming panel whereby the outer portion thereof may 'besecured to theadjoining end wall forming panel which extends from the bottom wallforming panel.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNlTED STATES PATENTS918,601 Schurmann Apr. 20, 1909 1,054,530 Goodyear Feb. 25, 19131,992,222 La Grua Feb. 26, 1935 2,141,438 Hirsch Dec. 27, 1938 2,210,443Bergstein Aug. 6, 1940 2,255,223 Lighter Sept. 9, 1941 2,437,835 Reigeet al Mar. 16, 1948 2,637,483 Shapiro May 5, 1953 2,655,304 lnman et alOct. 13, 1953

